Punjabi agency fights domestic abuse

Mississauga News

Punjabi Community Health Services is being proactive about providing help to abused women from their community.

The agency, which offers a variety of programs through its office in Mississauga, sends workers out into the community to speak with abused Punjabi women. They visit Sikh temples and community centres to find woman in distress.

"If you wait for them to come to you, it can be too late," said Executive Director Baldev Mutta.

"We did four years of research and found the community needs culturally sensitive services," Mutta said.

A few months back, Mutta got a call from the manager of a Mississauga store who suspected an employee was being abused. The woman, in her 20s, had a black eye and cut on her chin.

Since the woman worked the night shift, Mutta went to meet her at 11 p.m. It took several meetings but Mutta was able to convince the woman – who was fearful people would see them speaking – to get help.

The agency helped her find a place to stay when she decided to leave her husband.

Until April of last year, agency staff worked part-time. A provincial grant from the Local Health Integration Network helped and the agency, which is now funded by four organizations, operates on a budget of more than $500,000.

However, the need is increasing. Mutta said the agency is now up to 65 calls a month.

"(The abuse is) a big problem and its isn't going away," he said. "We have to reach out to these women in every way."

There are more than 132,000 Punjabi-speaking people living in the GTA.